#people: Anju Mira

[flo-n-flon]

scribbly Yan in a slinky dress

[madelaine-love]

Research otokoyaku Takarazuka

Hi. I am doing my master on 5 actresses and the assemblies where I saw them. I would like to ask you for help if you know of any place or person that can provide me with interviews in any language you have done to Anju Mira, Todoroki Yuu, Sagiri Sena, Kurenai Yuzuru and Nozomi Fuuto.I am also interested in finding interviews about the people who adapted and directed the following works where they worked:ANJU MIRA IN BLACK JACK (1994) adaptation and direction on: Masatsuka HaruhikoTODOROKI YUU IN THE SONG OF CHERRIES IN FLOWER (1997) Adaptation and direction: Tani MasazumiSAGIRI SENA IN Wanderer Kenshin-The Romantic Story of a Meiji Swordsman (2016). Adaptation and direction: Koike ShuuichirouKURENAI YUZURU IN Beside The Foggy Elbe (2019). Adaptation and direction: Ueda KumikoNOZOMI FUUTO IN Once upon a time in America (2020). Adaptation and direction: Koike Shuuichirou.Thank you.

[kittychan-sings-enka]

Review: ‘Dream Girls’ documentary

aka ‘a documentary i suspected to be not great turned out to be really bad’

This show has one upside, which is the shockingly free run of Takarazuka facilities the film-makers got. If you like rehearsal footage, backstage footage, Anju Mira, Maya Miki, Mori Keaki, or members of the 81st class who were TMS students at the time, this recording is a very good chance to see them.

On the other hand, literally everything else (in my biased but does-actually-know-Japanese opinion) is quite bad.

The translations vary from ‘stilted but decent’ to ‘utterly garbled’ to ‘inaccurate in a way that makes it hard to assume good faith’. The narration is equally inaccurate; in the first 10 minutes, it is stated that Top Stars are required to retire after 2 years. However, a major factor in the documentary is Mori Keaki’s retirement ceremony...which took place after 5 years as Top. 

Also, many of Mori’s statements were translated extremely badly, despite being fairly simple Japanese sentences. ‘Farewell to being an otokoyaku’ is not at all the same as ‘Goodbye to being a man’. ‘Otokoyaku’ is regularly rendered as ‘man’ in the subtitles, although it often turns up more correctly as ‘male player’ which makes me suspect someone knew what they were doing in this particular instance, rather than it just being incompetence. (’Snow Troupe’ being rendered as ‘colleagues’ was an example of the latter.)

Sometimes entirely non-existent statements made their way into the subtitles. Once, an unidentified OG was subtitled as saying ‘You must retire if you want to get married’. This is a true fact about Takarazuka, but I could not discern her saying it anywhere in the paragraph this subtitle came with.

The subtitles became their most garbled for male Takarazuka staff or executives, which is not surprising as they were not enunciating very well, but for a professionally made documentary I do expect some effort to discern what is being said, especially since what was being said was often very important. (It also came off as very strange and disingenuous that the TMS headmaster’s speech at the entrance ceremony was presented as being entirely about cleaning the school, although that was surely only a shorter excerpt.)

There were also some...interesting film cuts. Like the time the filmmakers seemed to be trying to imply that the Grand Theatre audience were applauding when Maya Miki was running a hand up Morina Miharu’s leg, but actually it was Anju Mira’s entrance happening just off-camera. Very interesting. (Also, the amount of reaction shots of the audience got kind of obnoxious after a while. Sometimes people are just looking at things, and it was obviously impossible to tell if the reaction shots were actually to what was presented as being on stage at the time.)

While this documentary is a good opportunity to see behind-the-scenes footage to a degree I have never seen before (or, notably, since), I recommend it with the heaviest of caveats that very, very little of the English context is really trustworthy.

[zukalations]

Farewell Takarazuka Grand Theatre: 4 Top Stars Special Talk

This interview, published in the December 1992 Kageki, features the four Top Stars of the time (Shion Yuu, Mori Keaki, Anju Mira, and Suzukaze Mayo) reminiscing as the Takarazuka Grand Theatre was about to be entirely rebuilt. There’s a lot of details about their early careers and time as fans themselves before entering the company.

Farewell Takarazuka Grand Theatre: 4 Top Stars Special Talk

Participants: Suzukaze Mayo, Shion Yuu, Mori Keaki, Anju Mira

Shion: I’ve been watching Takarazuka e~ver since I was in my mother’s womb, so I’m very sad to lose the Takarazuka Grand Theatre we have now. I love the atmosphere…getting off at Takarazuka station, walking down the road lined with souvenir shops, and going past the onsens to see a show at the Grand Theatre. And then heading back along the Hana no Michi humming the show’s theme song.

Mori: The first time I went inside the Takarazuka Grand Theatre was when I took the TMS entrance exam.

Shion: Really!?

Mori: Until then I had only seen Takarazuka on TV. When I first set foot in Takarazuka, it sort of reminded me of Sendai somehow.

Suzukaze: Ah, I think I understand what you mean.

Mori: It’s a very peaceful area, and everything’s really pretty. When did you first see Takarazuka, Kaname (Suzukaze)?

Suzukaze: I first saw Takarazuka on a field trip in my third year of middle school. I just had a seat behind a pillar, but it was a really vivid memory for me.

Shion: I love that pillar, you know. It really makes me feel like I’m in the Grand Theatre. When I was first a fan and didn’t understand how to get tickets ahead of time, I’d line up for tickets and if I got one it would always be behind that pillar. I’d watch everyone heading up to the seats in front and wonder who on earth they could be to get seats so close.

Suzukaze: When I first saw Takarazuka during the field trip, I thought anyone could meet the stars of the show whenever they liked. So I went to the place where they were renting the opera glasses, pointed to a picture in the program, and asked ‘Please, I’d like to meet this person.’

Shion, Mori, Anju: So cu~te!!

Suzukaze: The young lady there told me 'You can’t do that.’ (laughs)

Mori: When I first saw Takarazuka, I bought same-day tickets and ended up in the very back of the first floor. Watching from that far back the stage looked so far away that it seemed like something I could never reach: it felt like watching TV.

Anju: I first went to the Takarazuka Grand Theatre for Shime (Shion)-san’s TMS Culture Festival.

Mori: I was there too, in the yokasei drum and fife ensemble. (laughs)

Anju: Oh, you were there together~. I came for the entrance exam and saw the Culture Festival, and I was just in time for Snow Troupe’s Gone With The Wind, so I watched that as well, feeling like I was going to fall from the third floor the whole time. I couldn’t see faces clearly, and there was a ton of applause at the opening announcement 'This is Migiwa Natsuko of Snow Troupe,’ so I was really startled. At the Culture Festival, I even saw Shime-san leaving through the stage door.

Shion: The Culture Festival was the first time I set foot on the stage of the Grand Theatre, so I was really emotional~

Mori: You had a quick change coming through the audience, right? That was so moving.

Shion: The costumes were hanging up in the wings, and just seeing that I was like 'Real Takarazuka costumes~’ so it was really emotional for me. I knew it wasn’t like Koshien [1], but I thought 'Maybe I could just take this home after getting off stage…’ (laughs)

Anju: I don’t really remember my Culture Festival well, but when I was doing the address for my debut I was so emotional I thought I would cry.

Suzukaze: I remember being in the yokasei drum and fife ensemble better. For my Culture Festival I feel like I was just desperately trying to get through it.

Shion: And after debuting and gradually becoming a senior actress there are even more various emotions to encounter.

Anju: It’s delightful going up through the lifts, or being on the silver bridge - it’s like your dreams are coming true one by one.

Mori: While when I was started I was always way off to the side where it says 'Hankyu Department Store’ [2], gradually I moved more towards the center until before I even realized it I’d ended up here - that sort of thing is so fascinating.

Suzukaze: On the last day of the Moon Troupe show in the Grand Theatre I felt like it was the most emotional performance we’d ever done. From the start everyone was so enthusiastic and then during the last curtain call we all said 'thank you’ to the Grand Theatre together with the whole audience, which was a really happy moment. I love that theatre, it feels like it raised me…it’s really hard on me to see it go. They told us that by the time Moon Troupe gets back from the Tokyo performance, all the electricity will have been shut off, even the emergency lights, so that made closing day even more emotional.

Mori: Snow Troupe will be the very last to perform in the current Grand Theatre [3], which really is deeply moving. What I keep thinking about is how it’s not just part of my career, but that it’s connected to all the other performers who have stood on that stage for nearly 70 years - to be at the end of that is something that makes me feel happy, pressured, all sorts of emotions. When I start thinking about it I can’t help but feel that the Grand Theatre is a truly amazing place.

Anju: It’s a theatre full of so much history and so many memories.

Shion: It’s so sad~

Suzukaze: Did you take video when you were doing your last Grand Theatre performance?

Shion: I did, I did! From the dressing rooms to the baths (laughs)

Suzukaze: During the Moon Troupe performance, to commemorate it we let even the most junior actresses use the Uni Baths [4], so everyone was happy.

Anju: The stars to the dressing rooms after the shrine to Inari-san leave such an impression, right?

Suzukaze: And don’t the dressing rooms have their own unique scent?

Shion: They do, they do~

Suzukaze: It’s really calming somehow.

Shion: It’s like our home after all…

Mori: I feel like in a way an era is ending with this Grand Theatre and after this will be a fresh start.

Shion: Of course I have to be happy about a brand new Takarazuka Grand Theatre being built, but it’s actually a very complicated feeling, and I’m so sad I can hardly bear it…

Mori: I think there is going to be a bit of a dividing line between those who will only know the new Grand Theatre, and it’s going to be hardest on those like us who will experience both theatres. Which would be everyone here now…

Suzukaze: On the last day of the Moon Troupe performances, during the curtain call our kumichou said 'I feel the new Grand Theatre will inherit all the gathered memories that our current Grand Theatre has protected.’ When I heard it I thought 'That’s really it.’ The new Grand Theatre will be good in its own way, and since humans are territorial creatures we’ll surely get used to it, but emotionally, the current Grand Theatre seems to know all our joys and strengths so it’s very sad.

Mori: It’ll be really tough until we get used to the new theatre, I’m sure. When we were doing the photoshoot in the audience seats I was thinking 'this is really our home’ - it really feels like it’s full of the souls of so many different people.

Shion: it’s a living building. You can feel the life in it.

Mori: I heard that in the new Grand Theatre, the state operations will be controlled by a computer system, but I won’t be able to forget the artistic skill of all the stage staff who have supported us until now. For example, how happy a feeling it is when the spotlight operator shuts off the light, bam! at the perfect moment. It’s a really great feeling, like, 'we’re in perfect sync!’ It’s rather like a mental art so it’s very unfortunate that it will go away. There are so many stagehands doing hard, sweaty work to support us, and all sorts of other staff giving their all out of love to put these productions together. I loved that feeling of what we do being a collaborative art.

Anju: In Fancy Touch I’m on top of a pyramid in the prologue, and they got me up there backstage through human power. I think if you didn’t have a trusting relationship with the stagehands you’d surely be too scared to do that sort of thing. So it makes me wonder what will become of that in the future as well.

Suzukaze: Like Yan-san (Anju), when I was in PUCK there were mechanisms moving me through the air and such, and there wasn’t a single error through the whole production. When I’m in this current Grand Theatre I can really feel that us actresses can’t make a show all by ourselves, but it starts with all the people supporting and helping us. My strongest memory is the warmth, how people would do things like say 'good luck’ during a performance. I’m sure that won’t change even when we go to the new theatre, but I still have a lot of worries.

Mori: I’m sure everyone has a lot of doubts and concerns about starting over, but I feel that once we get started in the new theatre we’ll be able to enjoy it. But still, this theatre is filled with so many memories they can’t even be expressed in words.

Shion: I can’t forget the performance of War and Peace when the Grand Theatre stairs broke. They weren’t able to repair them in time for the last performance, so even though so many people were retiring - Shou-chan (Haruna Yuri), Rin-chan (Tajima Kumi), Pucchii-san (Azumi Reika), Maimai (Minakaze Mai), and so many others - through the whole run we had to use a staircase with only a few steps, as if it was a regional production. If we start talking about all the memories of things like that that have happened in this Grand Theatre there’ll be no end to it.

Mori: By the way, it’s quite unusual for all 4 of us to be able to talk like this. What’s really interesting is that there’s only one class year between each of us [5].

Shion: That’s right, even though I feel like some of us are together for magazine features and such regularly. I’ve had newspaper intervieews and such together with Yan often, so if I’m asked about her reason for joining the company or something I can answer easily. (laughs)

Anju: I can do the same for Shime-san! (laughs)

Mori: I’ve done events and special appearances for a while, so I feel like we’ve been well acquainted for some time. When we’re all face to face like this it ends up feeling like a school reunion.

Anju: We were able to appear together in The Rose of Versailles [6] as well.

Suzukaze: That’s right. Even though I was a yokasei when Yan was a honkasei, we didn’t have any interaction [in TMS], but we became close when we were playing Oscar in The Rose of Versailles. After that, when you saw Memories of You, you told me 'your dancing has gotten better’, and that one sentence made me so happy I felt like jumping for joy and I started crying.

Anju: No way~ (laughs)

Suzukaze: That one statement gave me energy all the way through to the end of the run. I think Takarazuka is fascinating because of all the different sorts of shows all four troupes can do.

Shion: It’s great that each troupe has its own specialty.

Anju: I could never do Puck.

Suzukaze: If you put the ears on anyone could do it! (laughs)

Anju: They’d say I was an evil spirit, not a fairy. (laughs)

Shion: But it’s really sad that even though all four of us are together, Karincho (Mori) is about to retire. I feel like I’m losing my last comrade-in-arms I’ve spent all this time with, together with the Grand Theatre, which makes it all even more painful. I have so many memories welling up, but I’ve already told the person in question (laughs) so I won’t repeat all that! But I’m really so happy we will be able to perform together in the new Grand Theatre in January [7]!

Anju: Karincho-san was already a star even when she was still in TMS. You were somehow different from everyone else, and you were amazing even then. Being in the center seemed to suit you, so you would be placed in the center naturally from the beginning, and you could change the whole atmosphere around you.

Suzukaze: When me and Mori-san played Oscar and Andre together in The Rose of Versailles [8], I was so affected I wished I couuld steal even a tiny bit of Mori-san’s unique qualities for myself… While I think it’s really appropriate that you are the last to perform in the Grand Theatre, personally I wish you could be there forever. Please don’t leave~!! I’ll be there behind you taking notes as long as you’re here.

Mori: Thank you so much, everyone. Takarazuka is such a wonderful place, and I’ve had so much fun working with everyone to put on the shows, and the Top Stars all help each other out so warmly. Gosh, I’m going to cry… (laughs) Having the opportunity to be Top for four years, I had so many different experiences as both a stage performer and a human being, and I don’t have any regrets.

Shion: I’m really happy that Karincho-san and so many others will be there in January for the opening performance of the new theatre. Star Troupe is happy to have you.

Mori: I’ll be there getting in the way from the first show~ I’m glad I’ll be able to make one more good memory. I’ll have to investigate e~verything about the new Grand Theatre. I’m looking forward to it, hahaha.

Anju: While I’m sure I’ll be a bother in a lot of ways, I think I’m very lucky to have a special appearance in Star Troupe productions in both the old and new theatres. Thank you to everyone in Star Troupe for having us.

Suzukaze: I’ll give it my all. While I don’t know yet what they’ll be having me do, I want to be myself and enjoy the show with the kind help of the Star Troupe members. My dream to do a Japanese-themed show is coming true, and while I’m sure I’ll be terribly clumsy I’m prepared to do whatever it takes. Directors, Senka members, everyone in Star Troupe, please take care of Suzukaze Mayo. I think when I’m onstage at the new Grand Theatre in the Star Troupe performance I’ll feel even more that this Grand Theatre is really gone.

Anju: Even if I wail and cry, this Grand Theatre will still be gone, so although I’ll be sad and miss it dearly, I would like to go onstage at the new theatre with fresh emotions.

Mori: I’m very grateful that Snow Troupe will be closing out the Grand Theatre. There’s only one thing remaining for me, which is to give this Grand Theatre, that has been filled with everyone’s memories, a brilliant conclusion. Every day I express my gratitude to the Grand Theatre so I feel confident it will go well.

Shion: Thank you!! After this when you appear in the new theatre’s opening production, we can begin building a new history together.

1. I think this is a reference to the special uniforms worn by teams competing in the Koshien baseball tournament.

2. In very old shows, the Grand Theatre drop curtain said ‘Hankyu Department Store’ on the side, where lower-ranking actresses would end up.

3. The Takarazuka run of The 47 Ronin was the last production to take place in the old Grand Theatre.

4. The Grand Theatre (old and new as far as I can tell) has three bathing areas separated by rank, with the Uni Baths reserved for the most senior actresses.

5. Shion Yuu, 64th class; Mori Keaki, 65th class; Anju Mira, 66th class; Suzukaze Mayo, 67th class.

6. 1990 Fersen production starring Ooura Mizuki.

7. The Star Troupe Houjushou/Parfum de Paris was the opening performance in the rebuilt Grand Theatre, featuring guests from the other troupes.

8. 1991 Oscar production starring Suzukaze Mayo.

[chemicalperfume]

GRAPH 2013.01: “C’est Maniaque Takarazuka” (Sagiri Seina / Misuzu Aki/ Souno Haruto / Sahana Mako)

It is now September 18th in my part of the world too, so...

Happy Birthday Chigi (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

In celebration, here is Chigi, Mattsu, Niwa and Kyabii being GIANT zuka nerds, and extremely relatable while doing so. Recommended read for literally everyone (and since this Graph issue is a few months shy of being 5 years old, look at these incredible, pure fan smiles xD)

-Declare your love for XX!-

Misuzu: In this case, I probably want to declare my love for Yan-san (Anju Mira). The reason I seriously fell in love with Takarazuka, was Yan-san. And as an onnayaku too! Usually, otokoyaku Yan-san gives off this “how cool!” vibe, right? But that was completely different, I was like “Who is this person?”

Sagiri: Which production was that?

Misuzu: “The Flash”. During Natsume-san’s (Ooura Mizuki) Top Star era.

Sagiri: Right!

Misuzu: For more details, I talked about it in “C’est Maniaque Takarazuka”, GRAPH 2012.03 issue! *laughs* [1]

Sagiri: *laughs* As for me, I loved the YanMiki combi (Anju Mira & Maya Miki), and what I loved the most about Yan-san is her opening announcements!

Misuzu/Souno/Sahana: Oh really!

Sagiri: I have a thing for opening announcements, and those were some goosebump-inducing ones *laughs*

Souno: Is that so *laughs*

Sagiri: I felt something very grownup there, that spoke to my little heart when I was still a child. The impression I have of Yan-san is her opening announcements *laughs* My favourite plays of hers that constantly compete for the title and switch between 1st and 2nd place are “Sorrowful Cordoba” and “Melancholic Gigolo”.

Misuzu: I was in both of those when they got restaged. [2]

Sagiri: What was it like, performing them? I sometimes think I might be no good if I had to perform in a play I’ve always loved

Misuzu: Yeah. “Melancolic Gigolo” was one of my favourites too and I watched it a lot, so I was at a loss about how I should do it… I had the role of Barotte, but watching it and performing it…

Sagiri: ...they’re totally different things, indeed. You already have this fixed image of the play after all.

Misuzu: Yeah. Once I did it it was an interesting experience, though.

Souno: I loved Kodai Mizuki who used to be in Snow Troupe! Of course, I watched the Top Stars too, but I was paying lots of attention to everyone around them too. I loved striking people with old-school gravitas. I was all about that vibe.

Misuzu: She was so wonderful. I get you! I get that!

Sagiri: She was so cool!

Souno: I would even put portraits of Kodai-san from the Takarazuka magazines inside my pencil board… [3]

Sagiri: Yes! I totally did that too!

Misuzu/Sahana: *laughing*

Souno: I did that during my school years.

Sahana: I had my Takarazuka goods confiscated at school, and got told off very badly!

Misuzu/Souno/Sagiri: Whaaat? Really?

Souno: Was it not allowed?

Sahana: I was called to the teachers’ office twice!

Misuzu/Souno/Sagiri: *cracking up*

Sagiri: What kind of goods was it?

Sahana: Uhm, there used to be those pocket size portrait photos… [4]

Sagiri: Yesyes, those!

Sahana: I had collected lots of them, put them in a box and kept them in bundles

Misuzu/Souno/Sagiri: *explosive laughter*

Sahana: So because I had that with me, it was taken away, and I was summoned to the teachers’ office… Where I said “Please give it back!”

Souno: And did they give it back?

Sahana: *nods*

Souno: But you got reprimanded again?

Sahana: Yes. The second time I told the teacher again to “Please give it back!”. And when they did, they had stuck a note on the box that said “I’m giving it back, but from now on you should grow up, and be pure, proper and beautiful”!

Souno: Aaah, that’s no good!

Sahana: I got so super mad, I ripped off the note right in front of the teacher’s eyes and ate it!

Misuzu/Souno/Sagiri: *in stitches*

Misuzu: She ate it! HAHAHA *laughing*

Sagiri: Why would you eat it? *laughing* But that in itself was a total act of defiance

Sahana: Exactly, I just got so ticked off.

Sagiri: The thing you loved so much was taken away from you, no wonder.

Souno: And to be told such a thing on top of everything, that was the worst, eh?

Sahana: It really was!

Misuzu: Using it against you is really no good. It has the opposite effect.

Sahana: Exactly!

Souno: *laughs* That kind of thing happened to me too. In the morning, when I was sleeping, my mother would come in the room and say “Wake up! Wake up quick!”. Then, my father chimed in with “Kodai-san is calling youuu~”

Misuzu/Sagiri/Sahana: *clapping hands and dying of laughter*

Sagiri: Makes you go “As if she would be!”

Souno: Right!! And on top of that, sometimes he’d mess up and say “Godai-san”

Misuzu/Sagiri/Sahana: *roaring laughter*

Souno: “It’s Kodai-san!!!!” I’d answer, super angrily *laughs*

Sagiri: But you did wake up alright *laughing*

Souno: True. *laughs* But I really didn’t want them to use this against me, for such a thing.

Misuzu: I get it, I do.

Souno: Everyone has a story like this after all! I got really fired up, all of a sudden.

Misuzu/Sagiri/Sahana: *laughing*

Sahana: I guess I’m not declaring love to anyone in particular, I’m declaring my love for portrait photos after all *laughs* I really loved collecting all of them, otokoyaku and musumeyaku photos alike. At the time there weren’t many shops, and -since I’m from Tokyo- I went all the way to Shinjuku to buy them

Souno: I’d also go there to buy video tapes and the like! I wonder if it’s still there? That place under Kinokuniya.　[5]

Sahana: Yes, yes! That’s the place!

Souno: It was a tiny little shop, but once I stepped inside I’d get all light-headed *laughs*

Misuzu/Sagiri: *laugh*

Misuzu: What was the one in Osaka… ah, I guess there was this really tiny store in a corner inside the Hankyu Department Store

Souno: It’s all the tiny ones after all

Sagiri/Sahana: *burst out laughing*

Misuzu: Everything was all cramped up in a tiny bit of space *laughs*

Sagiri: In Nagasaki, no one around me knew about Takarazuka. Therefore, even though I had the pencil board, I’d absolutely get asked “what’s with that?”

Misuzu: What did they think it was?

Sagiri: A relative’s kid once said “that’s a man wearing lipstick!”. I’d explain “that’s not a man, you know”, but they wouldn’t understand, and explaining was a bother. So, I did have a Takarazuka pencil board… but I was too embarrassed to use it… I had that kind of dilemma *laughs*

Souno: Having your stuff seen by people and get all kinds of comments about it, makes you go like, “it’s on a different level!”, so to say

Sagiri: That’s it! Whole different level!

Misuzu: Into the zone of enlightenment? *laughs*

Souno/Sagiri/Sahana: *laugh*

Sagiri: Then, thinking I should finally drop my reservations, write it all down in an essay and announce it publicly, I read out my feelings about Takarazuka during some event like a class meeting

Misuzu/Souno/Sahana: Hu~h!

Sagiri: Once I did, there unexpectedly were people who said “oh, I know that” and others who told me “I have no idea what that is, but I support you in chasing after your dream!”.

Misuzu/Souno/Sahana: Woooo~w!

Misuzu: What a great outcome

Sagiri: Yet even after that, I was still too embarrassed to use the pencil board openly.

Sahana: But you came out of the closet *laughs*

Sagiri: Yes, in public! *laughs*

Souno: Probably at around the same time as Chigi-chan (Sagiri), I gave a speech in English, “I LOVE TAKARAZUKA”

Sagiri: *in stitches*

Souno: Total embarrassment! We both came out, and mine was in English too *laughs*

Misuzu: You’re sooo~ coo~l

Souno: Using up all of my English knowledge at the time, I ended the speech with “I love Takarazuka, forever”

Misuzu/Sagiri/Sahana: *roaring laughter*

Sagiri: You should have played the BGM to that

Misuzu: “Forever Takarazuka”, right *laughs*

Souno: Since then, everyone called me “Takarazuka”

Misuzu/Sagiri/Sahana: *cracking up hard*

-A song you unconsciously start humming-

Misuzu: Ah! For me it’s the theme song from “Spartacus”

Souno/Sagiri/Sahana:  ♪ Itsumo yume mitetaaaa ♪ (I always dreamed a dream)

Misuzu: That one! Also, “Amore Scusami” that Mineoka Nachi sings during the duet dance in the finale

Sagiri/Sahana: Aah!

Misuzu: I couldn’t sing that high, but I loved it so much I always sung it trying to imitate her

Souno: How great is that!

Misuzu: Also, it’s not humming, but I could do the entire prologue of “The Flash”!

Souno/Sagiri/Sahana: Ama~zing!

Sagiri: For me it’s the one that’s like “Commando~!”. Which prologue was that?

Misuzu: What’s that again?

Souno/Sagiri/Sahana:  ♪ Commandooo~ ♪

Sagiri: “Spartacus”, I guess. It was so amazing, they went like *gets up from the chair and performs that scene’s choreography*

Misuzu/Souno/Sagiri: BWAHAHAHAHAHA

Misuzu: I think that was probably in the prologue

Sagiri: Prologue, right. I think while Yan-san or some other star was on stage, Miki-san comes out from somewhere out of the spotlight in the back at stage left *laughs*

Misuzu/Souno/Sahana: *in stitches*

Sagiri: It was like “BOOM”. I really really! Cannot forget that *laughs* Miki-san’s voice climbing up like “Commando~ ⤴”, like she’s shifting pitch maybe

Souno: She did that! So unique.

Sagiri: That really stayed with me *laughs*

Misuzu/Sahana: It does stick, it really does!

Souno: Miki-san always did that, in every song

Misuzu: Uh, there’s also the one that goes “A dandy~, a dandy~” ♪

Sagiri: Yes yes! *laughs*

Souno: That prologue from “Dandyism” was so good

Misuzu/Sagiri/Sahana: So cool!!

-I love this outfit!-

Misuzu: The outfits from the finale grand staircase in “Fancy Touch”, and another one I can’t leave out is Yan-san’s white outfit from the “Spartacus” duet dance. Oh! There’s another one! Yan-san’s beige suit from “Hyper Stage”! [6]

Souno/Sagiri/Sahana: *laugh*

Misuzu: In her farewell speech, Yan-san wasn’t in a hakama, she was wearing that suit. Also, and sorry for mentioning so many *laughs*, the ones during the raid in “Chuushingura”! [7]

Souno/Sagiri/Sahana: Aaah, yes yes!

Sagiri: That was really amazing!

Misuzu: When everyone came down the Grand Staircase in those outfits I was blown away!

Souno/Sagiri/Sahana: Yup, yup.

Sagiri: I thought the outfits from “Hyper Stage”’s prologue were very original, I loved those. Didn’t they also have a mic or something across one cheek?

Sahana: Yes, that’s right!

Misuzu: Back then!

Sagiri: Yes! “Cutting-edge fashion!” I thought *laughs*

Misuzu/Souno/Sahana: I knowww *in stitches*

Sagiri: The choreography went like this!

Everyone: *starts dancing* Hyper Stage! Hyper Stage!

Misuzu: Director Ishida’s prologues are quite cosplay-style

Souno: The onnayaku’s mini skirts were super cute! “TAKE OFF”’s outfits too.

Everyone: *singing loudly* ♪ Take Off! Chikara no kagiri boku wa utau! Kimi no tameee~ ♪ *laugh*

Misuzu: They were wearing gakuran uniforms, right? [8]

Souno: That too, was so cool!

Sahana: Me, I really loved Takane Fubuki’s military uniforms in “Romanesque Mask”. The musumeyaku wore lots of chic dresses, with beautiful texture like velour. But especially Takane-san in that uniform was truly cool!

Misuzu/Souno/Sagiri: Yeah, she was so beautiful!

Sagiri: Like, don’t you think it’s incredible? Even though we used to live in different places, and lead different lives, we all get this fired up over the same theme!

Misuzu/Souno/Sahana: It really, really is!

Sagiri: It’s all of our youth bottled up in there!

Souno: You have a way with words. That’s exactly it.

Sagiri: So full of memories!

Souno: It was so much fun!

Misuzu/Sagiri/Sahana: *laugh*

Souno: I feel like my skin is smooth and glossy now!

Sahana: It really feels like we got rejuvenated!

Everyone: *laughs*

Notes:

[1] the 2012 format of this corner had short blurbs from Takarasiennes and readers alike talking about something that left an impression on them from their fan days. I don’t have the issue Mattsu is referring to, if anyone does and would like to see it translated / added to the post, by all means message me!

[2] Flower Troupe 2008 for “Melancholic Gigolo” and 2009 for “Sorrowful Cordoba, both starring Matobu Sei and Sakurano Ayane

[3] Shitajiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencil_board some shitajiki are made up of two sheets and one can insert flyers or photos inside them

[4]  Also called stills; the headshots taken for each show’s program (example: http://www.tca-pictures.net/quatre/bromide/1704013.html )

[5] probably talking about 柳花堂, it closed in April 2013

[6] Reference Photos:

Fancy Touch:

Beige suit:

[7] Same outfits as the show’s prologue

[8] Reference photo

[bigyack-com]

Mira Nair, Naseeruddin Shah among 300 signatories extend support to students protesting CAA-NRC: ‘Our silence ends now’ - bollywood

More than 300 prominent individuals, including filmmakers Mira Nair, Nandita Das, actors Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Jaaved Jafferi, Homi K Bhabha, Partha Chatterjee, Anita Desai, Kiran Desai, TM Krishna, Ashish Nandy, and Gaytri Chakravorty Spivak, among others, have signed an open letter, expressing their solidarity with the students of India who have been protesting Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and against the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Extending their support to the students, the signatories said in their letter, “We stand in solidarity with the students and others who are protesting and speaking out against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and against the National Register of Citizens (NRC). We salute their collective cry for upholding the principles of the Constitution of India, with its promise of a plural and diverse society. We are aware that we have not always lived up to that promise, and many of us have too often remained silent in the face of injustice. The gravity of this moment demands that each of us stand for our principles.” Also read: Shah Rukh Khan: ‘I am a Muslim, my wife is a Hindu and my kids are Hindustan’. Watch video Here is the complete text of the letter: An open statement from members of the Creative and Scholarly Community in IndiaWe are artists, filmmakers, writers and scholars. Our work reflects people’s lives, struggles and hopes. We offer our dreams to everyone.But what dream can show us the way in the midst of the present nightmare? Our vision for this nation demands that we speak up now, in the name of our democracy and the constitution that protects it. We stand in solidarity with the students and others who are protesting and speaking out against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and against the National Register of Citizens (NRC). We salute their collective cry for upholding the principles of the Constitution of India, with its promise of a plural and diverse society. We are aware that we have not always lived up to that promise, and many of us have too often remained silent in the face of injustice. The gravity of this moment demands that each of us stand for our principles.The policies and actions of the present government, passed quickly through parliament and without opportunity for public dissent or open discussion, are antithetical to the principle of a secular, inclusive nation. The soul of the nation is threatened. The livelihoods and statehoods of millions of our fellow Indians are at stake. Under the NRC, anyone unable to produce documentation (which, in many cases, does not exist) to prove their ancestry may be rendered stateless.  Those deemed“illegal” through the NRC may be eligible for citizenship under the CAA, unless they are Muslim.Contrary to the stated objective of the government, this does not appear to be a benign legislation, only meant to shelter persecuted minorities. The list of exclusions seems to indicate otherwise. Why are minorities from other neighbours like Sri Lanka, China and Myanmar excluded? Isit because the ruling powers in these latter countries are not Muslim? It appears that the legislation believes that only Muslim governments can be perpetrators of religious persecution. Why exclude the most persecuted minorities in the region,the Rohingya of Myanmar or the Uighurs of China? This legislation only acknowledges Muslim perpetrators, never Muslim victims. The aim is transparent: Muslims are the unwelcome Other.This is state-sanctioned religious persecution, and we will not condone it. In Assam and the Northeast, and in Kashmir, the indigenous identity and livelihood is threatened as never before, and we will not condone it. The response of the government and law-enforcement agencies to the distress of its citizens has been callous and high-handed. India has seen the most Internet shutdowns of any democracy in the world. Police brutality has left hundreds injured, including many students from Jamia Milia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University. Several citizens have been killed while protesting. Many more have been placed in preventive detention. Section 144 has been imposed in numerous states to curb protests. We need look no further than Kashmir to see how far this government is willing to go to suppress democratic dissent. Kashmir is now living under the longest Internet shutdown ever imposed by a democratic government. Enough is enough.Those of us who have been quiet in the past, our silence ends now. We will be clear-sighted in our dissent. Like our freedom fighters before us, we stand for a secular and inclusive vision of India. We stand with those who bravely oppose anti-Muslim and divisive policies. We stand with those who stand up for democracy. We will be with you on our streets and across all our platforms. We are in solidarity.” Here is a list of some the signatories: Rahman Abbas, Anvita Abbi, Ajayan Adat, Ramona Adhikari, Faraz Ahmad, Anvar Ali, Zaheer Ali, Lalitha Alilu, Shimit Amin, Jyothi Ananthasubbarao, Vidya Das Arora, Sushila Bahanda, Vikas Bajpai, Ritwik Banerjee, Sudeshna Banerjee, Sumanta Banerjee, Susan Barton, Aamir Bashir, Amit Basole, Rakhi Basu, Dev Benegal, Homi Bhabha, Amit Bhaduri, Madhu Bhaduri, Nabakumar Bhattacharyya, Akeel Bilgrami, Rani Day Burra, Sundar Burra, Meena C. K., Priya Sarukkai Chabria, Suresh Chabria, Amitabha Chakrabarti, Pariplab Chakraborty, Sudhir Chandra, Civic Chandran, Indu Chandrasekhar, R.K. Chandrika, Partha Chatterjee, Shoma A. Chatterji, Salil Chaturvedi, Amit Chaudhuri, Neel Chaudhuri, Vasundhara Chauhan, Rajendra Chenni, Anuradha Chenoy, Kamal Chenoy, Zasha Colah, Naresh Dadhich, Vasudha Dalmia, Sumangala Damodaran, Swati Dandekar, Arpita Das, Nandita Das, Vibha Puri Das, Maya Dayal, Naina Dayal, Deena VJ, Anita Desai, Kiran Desai, Sudhanva Deshpande, Meera Devidayal, J. Devika, Asish Dey, Dipak Dholakia, Arundhati Dhuru, Xavier Dias, Anju Dodiya, Atul Dodiya, Jean Dreze, Lillete Dubey, Avalokita Dutt, Indranee Dutta, Walter Fernandes, Arunima G., Karen Gabriel, Ramakrishna Gampalahalli, Leela Gandhi, Mridula Garg, Geetika, Amitav Ghosh, Jayati Ghosh, Persis Ginwalla, Roshmi Goswami, Sheela Gowda, Srinivasa Gowda, Meena Gupta, Rajiv Gupta, Atul Gurtu, Rajan Gurukkal, Leela Hansda, Saba Hasan, Zoya Hasan, Sohail Hashmi, Shabnam Hashmi, Vinita Hembrom, Nataraj Honnavalli, M. G. Husain, Shamsul Islam, Sameera Iyengar, Vikram Iyengar, Jaya Iyer, Jaaved Jaferi, Bharati Jagannathan, Jagmani, N.D. Jayaprakash, K.P. Jayasankar, Pervin Jehangir, Dhirendra Jha, Ram Naresh Jha, Mary John, Mary Joseph, Rajesh Joshi, Jane K., Sushi Kadanakuppe Srinivas Kakkilaya, Vimala Kalagar, Priya Kalapurayil, Rina Kamath, Kalpana Kannabiran, Aman Kanwar, Harsh Kapoor, Ram Kapoor, Geeta Kapur, Manju Kapur, Aruni Kashyap, Suhit Kelkar, Sonal Kellogg, Mukul Kesavan, Faisal Khan, Habib Khan, Shah Alam Khan, Devaki Khanna, Ayesha Kidwai, Santosh Kiro, K John Koshy, Mridula Koshy, Teresa Kotturan, Ancilla Kozhipat, Pradip Krishan, Sumi Krishna, T.M. Krishna, Amitadyuti Kumar, Ashutosh Kumar, Kirtana Kumar, Radha Kumar, Sandhya Kumar, Sitanath Lahkar, Basanti Lakra, Jyotsna Lall, Swapna Liddle, Ania Loomba, N. S. Madhavan, Surabhi Sharma, Jatin Sheth, Mira Shiva, Geetanjali Shree, Dilip Simeon, Devika Singh, Savithri Singh, Preeti Sinha, Sachidanand Sinha, Shantha Sinha, Kita Sinku, Jawhar Sircar, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, M. S. Sriram, K. V. Subrahmanyam, Kadayam Subramanian, Sumita, Vivan Sundaram, Sehba Taban, Deepika Tandon, Kiran Tandon, Vikram Tandon, Anand Teltumbde, Anita Thampi, Romila Thapar, P. K. Michael Tharakan, Susie Tharu, Asha Tirkey, Palo Tunti, Ananya Vajpeyi, Vamsi Vakulabharanam, Achin Vanaik, Sankar Varma, Sushma Varma, Sushma Veerappa, Prem Verma, Gauri Vishwanathan, Asha Vombatkere, Sudhir Vombatkere, Salim Yusufji, Ajit Zacharias. Follow @htshowbiz for more Interact with the author @swetakaushal Read the full article

[zukazukazuka]

Serika Toa Translations: August 2017 Kageki and Revue 2017

I’m determined to get more practice translating and also just put more about this girl out there in the world, so have a couple of short blurbs from things I recently picked up in Japan.  I’m still practicing, so any corrections/suggestions are welcome!

August 2017 Kageki - News from Backstage, Wind over Yamataikoku / SANTE!!

About the play – Kukochihiko

Kukochihiko is a person who loves to fight, and becomes excited when he meets someone stronger than him.  Although he is the villain of the story, I wanted to convey that he is a military man whose faith drives him to loyally serve his king, and therefore doesn’t think of himself as evil.  However, to keep him from being simply a serious person, I came up with the kinds of facial expressions and manner of speaking that would better define him as a character.  The stage combat instructor also helped me develop a particular style for handling the sword as well.  When he meets Takehiko for the first time, they don’t really cross blades, so I thought that their final battle should really be the highlight in that regard. To leave the audience with a strong impression [of him], I am treasuring every word of my lines, and striving to bring a lot of energy every day.

The Revue

At first I was a bit shy about doing the onnayaku role in the prologue (laughs), but now I have fun with it every day, and getting to SANTE with so many audience members makes me happy(1).  I especially love my entrance during the gigolo number, I think “I’m so glad to be an otokoyaku!” When Yan-san (Anju Mira) was doing the choreography, she looked so cool, and I worked on creating my own appealing otokoyaku image while thinking that I wanted to dance like her.  When Koshiji Fukubi’s famous song is sung [by Miho Keiko] during the chuuzume, it makes me happy to feel the emotion rise in everyone(2).  The Monsieur Poet scene(3) begins with my song, so I am able to invite the audience into that world.  After that the five of us reprise the prologue on the silver bridge, and it has a very refreshing and purifying feeling to it.  During the kuroenbi, day by day our level of concentration and intensity would increase, and I’d get a sharp feeling in my heart.

1 – In Tokyo the actresses were given SANTE cups in the opening to kanpai with the audience members, whereas apparently in the Grand Theater they just used their fists.

2 – I’m assuming she’s talking about the scene with Miho Keiko and Seijou Kaito where Miho Keiko sings 愛の讃歌 (Ai no Sanka), but that’s not in the chuuzume so I’m not sure if there’s another song by Koshiji Fukubi that is in the chuuzume (Mon Paris??), or if she just…got that wrong?? If anyone knows better let me know!

3 – This is the scene that references the Passion of the Christ

Serika Toa - REVUE 2017

When you’re feeling down or want to cheer someone up, what Takarazuka program would you watch to feel happy?

The version of Me and My Girl I was in.  There are no villains and it’s a lighthearted comedy, so I think it can really lift your spirits.  Even I fell victim to the show throughout the performances, and I felt happy all the time.  My favorite scene is at the end of the first act when we go out into the audience during the Lambeth Walk.  I played both Sir John and Gerald, but the older, more refined and tolerant Sir John was more of a challenge for me, and I think allowed me to expand my horizons.  In contrast, Gerald is a role I can play more like myself.(1)  Since his banter with Jackie is charming, while performing I thought about how I wanted the audience to feel happy watching it.

Do you have any particular habits related to maintaining your physical fitness or beauty regimen that you think “I’m probably the only one who does this…”?

Sleeping.  I’m the type who likes to make sure that even when I’m busy I have enough time to sleep.  During performances I want to sleep at least 8 hours, so I’m happiest if I can get even more (laughs).  I bought my favorite bed about a year ago, it’s king-size(2), and after doing several trial sleeps I selected the mattress and pillows.  As a result I’m very comfortable when I sleep, and my quality of sleeping and waking are very good.

As far as food goes, I’ve been drinking protein drinks.  It’s important for people who move their bodies a lot to consume protein, but it can be difficult to absorb efficiently.  I’ve only started drinking it recently, but I feel like the condition of my skin and nails has gotten better.

When are the times you feel happiest (幸せ)?

It really is when I am on stage.  Especially when everything is lit up during the parade, seeing the delighted (幸せ) expressions on the faces of the people in the audience makes me happy.

In private life, it’s when I’m looking at the ocean, which I love.  On my days off, I often will go for a drive where I can see it.  From my parent’s house in Kobe we could see the ocean, so whenever I look at the sea in Kobe I get wrapped up in feeling happy and think “what a wonderful town.”

 1 – literally 等身大で演じる, or “play [him] life-size”, which I think she means she can play him without putting much thought into it because he’s similar enough to her own personality (or like ones she’s done a LOT before).

2 – literally 大型サイズ , or jumbo-sized, so I’m assuming it’s a king haha

[zukadiary]

A DAY

I don’t really have any good *analysis* of today’s announcements, but they made me SO DAMN HAPPY I want to yell about them anyway.

1. Chigi is back already, significantly sooner than I anticipated and I imagine sooner than most people anticipated. I was, to be honest, worried about her?? So it’s reassuring to see that she’s so eager to continue a career of performing in some capacity (it also seems that when she called her future plans a military secret in her taidan press conference it may have been a pun). MY MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST:

It’s directed by Ogita Kouichi, formerly but no longer of Takarazuka, and he directed some of my very favorite things—Tarantella, Albatross, Romantica Takarazuka ‘04... and the one OG Komu dance recital I’d probably choose if I could go back and time and pick only one thing I missed. He has a unique dark style and a knack for creating things that suit his star performers very nicely.

ANJU MIRA is in it, praise the gods

ONO HIKARI is in it, please save my poor 1st-gen Sera Myu trash heart

It will also feature Harada Kaoru, a choreographer and great dancer who has appeared in many OG productions (Argentango and Flamenco Cafe del Gato, for example... she also happens to be Kazuki Sora’s hero).

Other performers/guests: Oono Yukito, Kaiho Naoto, JKim, Tanazawa Seiji, Hirasawa Satoshi, Sakuragi Ryousuke

I’m curious if this is an indication Chigi will stay on with Umegei as an agency, or if it’s just kind of a HI I’M ALIVE AND FIGURING STUFF OUT thing. Either way, YAY!

2. Soragumi’s small theater shows were finally announced after what felt like an eternity, and MAKAZE’S OHIROME WILL BE WEST SIDE STORY!!! I have honestly been dying all day, I’m so excited. It will run first in January in Tokyo and then in the summer in Umeda, much like Om Shanti Om had a split run... and I sincerely appreciate the two completely different chances to try to get my butt back over here to see it. 

Makaze vs. Kiki West Side Story is going to be utterly devastating, and I think this will also work SO WELL for Madoka... she’s going to be half Makaze’s size and spunky af, I can’t wait. Interestingly we’ll have 2 additional big musumeyaku roles to fill now—Anita, and the lead in Aichan’s show—and I’m dying to know how that turns out. 

The downside to this is Takarazuka has done West Side Story several times in the past and it’s never been released or broadcast. To be on the safe side, I’d anticipate this disappearing too... although I will pray Hankyu decided to dish out this time. 

Aichan gets the lead in a revival of Immortal Thorns, which will run in Drama City and Nippon Seinenkan. Unless I am completely wrong about the hierarchy in new Soragumi, this is probably a consolation prize... but asking her to fill those particular theaters with a show like this is a fairly strong vote of confidence (or a test??). I imagine she’ll have to take at least Zunchan (or equivalent), maybe some Senka ladies, to help sell it. 

(They cannot under any circumstances take Sora. Sora is a Shark. I have already planned my year around it.)

In any case, I am ANXIOUSLY AWAITING the cast distribution for these!!

[onaperduamedee]

Pass the happy! 💛 When you get this, reply with 5 things that make you happy and send this to the last 10 people in your notifications! 😊

Thank you! In no particular order:

the prospect of baking seasonal cookies soon

talking with and seeing N.

winter light

Leverage Holiday exchange

Anju Mira’s voice

[flo-n-flon]

Practicing proper line art over the Easter weekend ft. Zuka youtube clips. Speed over accuracy was the motto. Although crying over Taako considerably slowed down the exercise.

[blue-siren]

Shipping Tag!

I got tagged by @the-socially-awkward-penguin

Name 10 OTPs from 10 Different Fandoms, then tag 10 people to Pass it On! (oh boy, can i even get to 10 xD) 1. From Nobunagun: Nobunagun/Jack The Ripper

2. From Katekyo Hitman Reborn: Irie Shoichi/Spanner (sue me, they’re cute)

3. From Nanbaka The Numbers: Musashi aka Inmate 634/ Kenshirou Yozakura

4. From Baccano: Mira/Isaac

5. From fable 2: Garth/Reaver ( *walks away whistling innocently* )

6. From Saints Row 4+3: Matt Miller/Kinzie Kensington 

7. This one’s a bit of a Cheat but from “Transistor”: Red/The unnamed male Soul

8. From Psychonauts: Sascha Nein/Milla Vodello

9. From Kuroshitsuji the most beautiful death in the world: Allan Humphries/ Eric Slingby

10. From The Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask: Kafei/Anju I tag...honestly anyone who wants to do this xDD all of the ones i’d tag have already been tagged xDD 

[princestreetco]

Snickers Turned Its Preroll Ads Into Wacky Little Video Games You Can Actually Play

From Snickers' point of view, skipping its YouTube preroll ads is just as bad skipping one of the Mars candy brand's chocolaty treats when you're hungry. 

So, to boost viewer engagement in the prerolls, Impact BBDO in Dubai just unwrapped "Pre-Video Videogames"—ads you can actually play that are also packed with loud, silly hunger scenarios. 

In the first spot below, a school-bus driver behaves like a crazed WWE wrestler because he hasn't had a nosh. Users hit pause to try to help him snag Snickers bars that sail across the screen. 

Dude looks like a caveman. And he certainly shouldn't be driving while munching on a Snickers. Think of the children!

Next, a tennis umpire behaves like a member of Spinal Tap:

Has that guy been working the Australian Open? Rumble-tum officiating might explain those big upsets.

Impact BBDO has been trying to evolve the brand's long-running "You're not you when you're hungry" positioning. "The Warning," a goofy time-trip commercial, is another recent example, and the new "Pre-Video Videogame" spots take things a step further. (They will also run as traditional TV ads, minus the gamification.)

The results are diverting in a bone-headed kind of way, though with all due respect, this stuff seems far from unskippable.

CREDITS Client: Snickers

Agency: Impact BBDO Dubai Regional Executive Creative Director: Fadi Yaish Creative Director: Jamie Kennaway, Stephanus De Lange Associate Creative Director: Dio Santos Regional Account Director: Frances McCabe Senior Account Manager: Lina Ghulam Editor Lead: Joris Bosdriesz Motion Graphics Lead: James Keith Elgie Senior Broadcast Producer: Anju Purushot Broadcast Producer: Rajaa Chami Post Producer: Ann Geleen Amparado

Production House: Good People Director: Maged Nassar Executive Producers:  Michel Abou Zeid DOP:  Pierre Mouarkesh

Grade: Karim Mira, Lizard VFX

Online: Serena, Dubai Producers: Mahmoud Al Jabban, Daniela Borges, Romy Raad Flame Artist: Miguel Ruiz Graphics: Gary Fedorenko, Yunus Ali

Music & Sound Design: Mango Jam, Dubai

Thanks for signing up! Check your inbox for a confirmation email.

(Source: © 2016 ABN | All Rights Reserved)

[onaperduamedee]

tag nine people you want to get to know better

Tagged by @impossiblyeclecticduck, thank you and sorry for the belated answer.

Relationship status: no strings, I’m fancy free, my decks are cleared for action

Favourite colour: teal

Lipstick or Chapstick: chapstick; my lips are always dry. On top of that, my mouth is tiny and I look ridiculous with lipstick.

Last songs I listened to:  Sorrowful Cordoba (1995) - Anju Mira

Last movie I watched: À mon âge je me cache encore pour fumer by Rayhana

Top three tv shows:

(at the moment, right?)

Atelier

Doctor Who

Elementary

Dark Matter (oh shoot me, I am excited for next season)

Top three characters:

(that’s not nearly enough)

River Song (Doctor Who)

Melinda May (Agents of SHIELD)

Sophie Devereaux (Leverage)

Top three ships:

River/the Doctor (Doctor Who)

??? I don’t do shipping, not really

Melinda May/happiness (AoS)

oh, okay perhaps Lix Storm/Randall Brown (The Hour)

Tagging: @darknessfactor, @callmedoctorwho, @queenhawke, @twenties-sweetheart, @regionsofkindness, @abossycontrolfreak and everyone interested in chiming in.